


Come Home

by Lyrishadow



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-15
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2019-03-31 17:24:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13979940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyrishadow/pseuds/Lyrishadow
Summary: It has been a long five years - feels like everything has changed... but then where are her people? Her friends, her family - the kind she picked for herself at least - her husband. Old foes are calling, but she had already dealt with them, so who is using their name?WARNING: Spoilers for the Smuggler companion return story.





	Come Home

**Author's Note:**

> Mandoa:  
> "Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la." - Not gone, merely marching far away. Said in honour of a dead comrade.  
> Ner vod - my sister.

 

 

**Five years ago**

 

"Corso, you have to go, someone has to get back to the core worlds and tell them.." Ly'zia's voice was close to panic. "I will be right behind you..."

"I can't just leave you.. we aren't going without you..." the sound of his own voice was strangled.

"Corso... you have to go," Ly'zia said softly, this time, a goodbye he didn't want.  
Why was she always being the hero? Hero's got killed.

"Ok, but you better be right behind us," Corso replied, even though he could see the hopelessness of the situation, even though it made no sense for his Captain to be the hero.

"Goodbye Corso." He could hear her whisper as she once again took off to save people, and the coms closed.

"No!" Risha rushed in with Akaavi close behind her "Why are we leaving her?"

"She said to go Risha," Corso replied, pain evident in his movements as he mechanically put them into hyperdrive. "We had no choice."

"She was worthy," Akaavi said, sounding somewhat surprised that the Captain who she counted as her friend had been strong enough in the end; she raised her fist to her chest in salute. "Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la."

Guss and Bowdaar came in last as they realised what was going on, they all sat a moment dumbfounded at the events.

"CORSO?" It was Risha who realised he had turned pale and was silently just staring at the console.

"Stars Risha...." he pointed to the console as she came over.

"No no... that.. it can't be possible!"

"What's going on?" Guss asked, confused.

"Marr's ship just exploded, reports from escape pods that Ly'zia ordered the evacuation with seconds to spare, they were still fighting and..." Corso swallowed, "I need to..." he raced from the room.

"This isn't how it was supposed to be..." Risha looked at Bowdaar who shook his head and turned heal to follow Corso.

 

Corso was in the quarters he shared with the Captain, the man was devastated Bowdaar could already tell. Ly'zia had been his centre - the centre for all of them - for so long that Bowdaar wondered what they would do with things now.

"Corso?" He rumbled as he placed a large wookie hand on his friend's shoulder. Corso looked up at him and tears ran down the man's face.

"Nothing left of Marr's ship." He said his voice strained "that means... it means she's....gone."

"Maybe she escaped?"

"That would be like her." Corso agreed, but then shook his head "I don't know maybe it was one too many adventures?"

Bowdaar did the only thing he could think of and enveloped the man in a hug, it helped soothe his own fear for their captain too.

"We will keep her memory alive." Bowdaar stated, "I will not forget her for the freedom and respect she gave."

"To all of us," Corso said quietly, his energy spent now in tears that he couldn't stop. It hit him worse than losing his family, worse than losing Vidu, or any of that. He could only hold to the thinnest hope Zia was still alive.

 

**The letter:  
** Zia had memorized his letter, her only consolation in the whole dang mess. His words - but he wasn't on Port Nowhere, and the whole galaxy had shattered by the time she even got his letter but she clung to it: 

  
_"I don't care what anyone else says. You can't be dead. Not like this. Not after everything we've gotten through together._

_I flew back to where Marr's flagship went down. Escape pods have scattered all over the blasted sector. You've got to be in one of them, and I'll keep scanning until I see your beautiful face again._

_If you make it back to Republic space before me, go to Port Nowhere and send me the signal. I'll come running-- but not before I stop off at the market on Coruscant that sells that thing from Naboo you like so much. I noticed you ran out of it._

_Come home. I love you."_

 

_**Somewhere in that five years on Nar Shaddaa:** _

 

"Corso, what are you doing?" Risha asked as they finally left the apartment in Nar Shaddaa they had been holed up in.

"Lookin for a holo-net terminal." he shrugged "I need to.. I have to look."

"Ok but dont draw attention, you know the situation now. " Risha looked nervous, constantly checking around herself.

"It will be okay." Corso tried to reassure her, seeing Risha like this he wanted to be stronger for her.

"Not if you reveal anything it won't."

"I won't ask questions, just search for news ok?"

"Ok." Risha paused as he looked at her "I'm sorry Corso, I know this is hell for you."

"No. I promised the Captain I'd help her and her people. Even if it's you."  He grinned and ducked, making Risha smile a little had taken a lot of effort of forced cheer for him. 

"That sky fortress thingy is huge." Risha pointed up to the very visible Zakuulian controlled ship above the planet which they had on good authority meant no-one went unnoticed. 

"Right, looking for that outlander person they were all yellin about." Corso shrugged.

"Right, let's be quick ok?" Risha didn't want to stand out but also, she wanted to find her target and get the job done so they could pay some rent.

 

Corso found a terminal and quickly searched his way to the most recent news.

"Stars!" he squawked.

"What?" Risha came over, there on the front page was a picture of the Captain, she looked paler, more tired, but it was definitely her.

"Do you think it's a trap?" Corso asked frowning not trusting his eyes "I mean..."

"Dubrillion might have paid to have that on the holo-net but how..." she shook her head. The king did not know the Captain.

"Then... she's alive." he gasped "And..." 

"Huh." Risha was reading over his shoulder "so Ly'zia is the Outlander?"

"I guess... unless its a trap..." he frowned, he had tried to get over it, tried to let go but he still adored her, and would never find another person like her. All he was missing was actually being with her; his love had never changed, had hers?

"Well, we cant call her... besides..." Risha pointed to two guards in Zakuulian uniform speaking to people not far away.

"It's safer to leave things?" Corso's voice wavered. He had been strong for Risha when her count was murdered when things went sour with Dubrillion.

"Im sorry Corso, this is my fault.."

"You are right though." he sighed, said a small prayer to whatever gods in the galaxy were listening, that Zia would be okay. The guards moved closer, he closed the holo-net and stepped away from the terminal.

"We gotta go before they see who we were looking for." He breathed into Risha's ear.

Risha nodded and they slipped off into the crowd.

 

_**Odessan five and half years** _

"I hate this!"Zia had yelled and thrown a datapad at Theron, an unusual thing for her to do, and it was just as Torian rounded the corner, and Aric Jorgan entering from the other side was pulled up just as quickly.

"Whoa!" Torian said, surprised that the Captain had lost her cool.

"Sorry." she muttered and fled.

"What was that about?" Aric glanced at Torian and then turned to Theron for an explanation.

"We can't find her people. She is right to be so angry - but I think it is more the fact we can't find her husband, or her partner in crime." he winced when he said that. It was true, he had been apprised of exactly what Zia was when they had recruited her for the Korriban op, but still, after everything, it sounded wrong.

"She's married?" the two other men found themselves saying at the same time, then both looked off to the side embarrassed. 

"Yeah." Theron chuckled to himself as they reclaimed their calm.

"What can we do?" Torian asked. "I mean... is there anything?"

"I don't know." 

"She threw a datapad at you..." Aric asked then " did you find something?"

"A hint." Theron nodded "Then nothing at all. Dubrillion royalty? some kind of bounty for the head of her friend."

"She kept strange company," Torian commented, recalling meeting Guss and Bowdaar already. "I mean, she told me she had a Mando on her crew."

"Yeah," Theron replied typing names into his terminal with no success. "Akaavi Spaar."

"Spaar... I know that name.." Torian replied "Old clan, decimated on Coruscant, and wiped out by... another clan a few years back.. well more than a few years. Explains why Zia is almost Mando in her mindset."

"Don't tell her that." Theron grinned at him "I don't think she would view it as a compliment."

 

"I think I will go chat with Hylo." Aric said then "Surely she has contacts who would have ideas?"

"Maybe so." Theron nodded "anything is worth it. She's been through hell, least we can do is find her friends."

"Her family." Torian corrected shaking his head "That kind of friendship is even  better family than what you are born to."

"Yeah." Aric nodded and walked out towards Hylo's rooms to chat with the smuggler. 

"I might go see how she is..." Torian turned towards the commanders quarters.

" Just duck better than I did," Theron yelled after him ruefully rubbing his head where the data-pad had hit him. No mistaking that her aim was good.

 

Torian patiently knocked on the door to the commander's quarters, it felt a little strange but he had grown to admire her and saw her as ner vod - so he knew already why it was she needed her people. 

"Torian?" Zia looked up at the Mandalorian who stood by her door hand raised ready to knock again.

"Hey." He lowered his hand "You ok?"

"Oh." she half nodded then shook her head. "But what can I do?"

"Well, I am not good at this but whatever you need, an ear,  a hand for sabbac - I can play." he added with a wince " just... don't invite Gault to join us."

"Distraction huh? Want a drink? Possibly better if I don't drink alone."

"Right." he nodded and she gestured to the bottle and glass on the table.

"I have another glass someplace..." she sighed spying it on the other side of the room "ah.. oops. Honestly I don't drink that much, but lately..."

"Yeah, hard to do anything without your family." Torian poured the drinks and settled down on one of the two sofas while she sat opposite him.

"Yeah, I got fond of the idiots pretty quick," Zia admitted. "Corso... stars.. how do you even begin to describe him?"

"Good guy?"

"The best!" she raised a glass to toast Corso, wherever he was. Torian hung around listening to stories about their adventures until Zia started to snore a little. Laughing he picked her up and deposited her into her bed wrapped in a blanket.

"Goodnight, sister," he said quietly as he left.

 

_**Exactly six years from the day Marr's ship exploded:** _

 

"Risha, I am glad Skarvek was good for somethin." Corso said as they sat in the suite they rented at the casino and used as a front for jobs.

"Well good so far." Risha nodded. "I tried sending another message through that agent guy we met."

"oh?"

"Ever heard of Hylo Vis?"

"Seriously." Corso widened his eyes and looked at her "Thought she was dead."

"She is running supplies for the Alliance." 

"Ah." Corso nodded, "Bowdaar sent word he joined them, through the old channel."

"Oh thought that was dead?"

"Keep it open... just in case..."

"It's been six years Corso... you know how she was with guys." Risha shook her head as the man shrugged. "I never thought I would live long enough to even meet someone like you Corso, let alone call you a friend."

"You always did see the darker side of life Risha." He shrugged.

"Hey look." he pointed to the holo hub, a galactic wide message was being sent out.

"From Zakuul?" Risha asked staring horrified at the idea. "Not that evil witch what was her name Vaylin? Though she ended some of my problems."

"Please stay tuned for an important announcement from the throne."  A generic message played. 

A camera in the throne room on Zakuul started rolling. The glimpse of the room before zeroing in on Zia was of combat, heavy fighting. Risha glanced at Corso, he was biting his lip.

"People of Zakuul, I am here to decree the end of the tyrannical rule of the throne of Zakuul. Instead, we the Alliance will work with you as allies..."

"Good gravy!" Risha cackled "You know right? She was the most unpolitical..."

"No... she just hid it well."  Corso ran a hand through his dreads, he hadn't changed his hairstyle in six years in hope that Zia would turn up, and still like them. Risha found that funny after he had told her about it one night when he was drunk. "She was smarter than most, always."

"She looks done in." Risha nodded to the image, Zia was holding her side, her eyes had a strange shadow and in all, it looked like she had single-handedly fought all of Zakuul.

"She needs us." Corso said, meaning clearly she needed him but Risha let that go.

"Yeah let me try some republic sis contacts that were in Skarvek's files."

"Skarvek had SiS contacts?"

"Yeah kept a list labelled 'dont talk'." 

"That is hilarious..." Corso laughed - for the first time in a long time, a genuine laugh "He actually had a list like that?"

"Yes, he did... "

"I still don't understand why you hired him."

"He said he knew a guy who had the droid I was after, and a ship."

"That explains him working on the old speeder all the time- think he was going to try and get you to accept that as a ship."

 

They met the contact the next day.

Jonas Balker was surprised when someone asking to meet him discreetly turned up, he knew a little about them - what good sis agent walks into a meeting without knowing something; but he had no idea they were friends of Theron Shan's boss.

"Howdy. My name's Corso Riggs."

"Risha Drayan." Risha added "Not that it matters entirely. We are trying to get in touch with the Alliance Commander. We heard, sort of, that you have a friend there."

"How do you know her?"

"By a friend - we mean Theron Shan." Corso had worked with Theron on Rishi and Yavin. "I met him years ago."

"Ah," Jonas nodded thoughtfully. 

"I need to get a message to Ly'zia Riggs." he looked down at the counter, his heart doing horrible things in his throat before he looked up adding "My wife."

"I can help," Jonas said his eyes on Risha who just shrugged.

"Let me handle the details, Corso." Risha said, "Let's make this fun."

"You have a strange idea of fun..." Corso muttered.

"Tell Hylo that someone named Skarvek is trying to find her." Risha smiled a little "She should figure it out."

"Risha..." Corso tried to warn her. Zia didn't need that, she needed him... them.

"Oh come on, it will be fun." she looked at Corso "She will fall for it..."

"20 credits says she won't," Corso replied. He had been there when they killed Skarvek - and he knew Zia hated the guy.

"That's like nothing...." Risha pouted.

"It's what I've got."Corso shrugged he was not going to bet what he didn't have on hand.

"Fine. 20 Credits say she will come to the door with gun drawn." 

"That's me out." Jonah grinned "will send word if I can."

Risha nodded.

Finally, they were getting somewhere in reaching Zia.

 

 

_**Odessan a week later:** _

"ARIC!" Hylo screamed as she came into the military hangar.

"Stars woman, you will scare the Rackghoul again." Aric gestured to the rafters.

"Wait... you have a ... never mind.." She pulled a datapad from her pocket " Theron gave me this to check but..."

"Skarvek? Who the hell is...?" Aric read the information.

"A guy who she killed... so ..." Torian was leaning over the railing then "What's the intel?"

"Says someone named Skarvek wants to find her and talk." Hylo shook her head "Theron said it was passed to him via secure channels..."

"So someone knew that Theron had a SiS contact?" Aric asked he knew because he had worked with them too.

"Pretty much." Hylo handed the intel to Aric "I don't know how to check this."

"I say give it to her." Torian offered "It might be her friends, it might not.. we can always go and be back up for her." 

Aric nodded and began to purposefully walk towards the comms room where the Captain was currently sifting through reports on help that was needed across the planets of both the republic and empire fixing damage from the Eternal fleet.

 

**Nar Shaddaa**

"You sure shes comin?"

"Yes, eyes on the promenade says she picked up the first message."

"That ship... how long did you keep that."

"Forever, I had had the thing made after my father died, was going to give it to Zia as a gift." Risha sighed "All those years ago eh."

"She used to use the ruby as a paperweight." Corso replied, "Stars I can't wait to see her."

"Woah boy, patience, you know we bet on this right?" Risha looked happy for the first time in a long time. Corso was feeling it too, excited and flustered at seeing Zia again.

"Look," Risha whispered to him. There she was, gun unholstered entering the room with care. To Corso for now, at least she looked like an oasis in a desert or something poetic. Risha pushed him forward.

"Captain!" Corso stated his arms waving expressively. Not exactly what he had planned but she was there.

"Corso!Risha!" Ly'zia holstered her weapon, Corso had noted it was Flashy, the gun he had given her on Ord all those years ago, carefully looked after and with a few new mods. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you two idiots!"

"You owe me 20 credits." Risha poked Corso who handed it over without complaint.

"We have a thousand things to talk about, but..."

"What happened? Why didn't you two come to me for help?" Zia slumped into a chair sitting so quickly Corso frowned at Risha, Zia looked as tired and done in as she had in the clip from Zakuul.

Risha explained about her count, and about how things had fallen out.

"We tried to look for you, spent every credit we had and some we didn't." Corso sighed "Thought we were done for, til Risha hit on the idea of using Skarveks name."

"He isn't using it," Risha added, continuing the story as she explained how they had scraped by in hiding.

"Stars, Skarvek's name still makes my blood boil." Zia wasn't looking at Risha, Corso noticed, she was only looking at him.

"Captain, I've been waiting forever for this moment..." he looked at her, honest, sincere and she looked back at him "I know you probably met many amazing men in the time we were apart, but I will do anything to win your heart again."

"My cue to leave," Risha muttered moving off to a half-empty glass she had on a table. 

"Corso." Zia's voice was soft, far softer than he remembered it ever being. "I never wanted anyone but you in that whole hellish time, I... " her voice cracked a little " I love you, Corso."

"I love you too." He found himself grinning "I had all these things planned to say... and.."

"What happened?"

"I can't remember any of them." He was grinning like a teenager, but as he pulled her close, fiercely kissing her he whispered: "We can talk later."

"There is a lot to say." Zia nodded. 

They moved apart and Corso gave Risha the agreed upon signal that he was done with the 'icky romantic crap' as she called it.

"So I guess we will be looking for a new crew..." 

"Don't be silly, there is only one crew for you two, that's mine." 

"Let's get off this rock then." Corso nodded to Risha and they left the room to head to the apartment.

"You still have an apartment here?" Risha asked as they walked 

"Yeah, sort of." Zia stopped and shrugged "It's in someone else's name."

"Of course." Corso said, "Told you Risha."

"Who?"

"Bounty Hunter I know, her name is Tora, she rents some of the rooms from me." Zia shrugged."You need someplace to store stuff? I got the room." 

"Captain... about your ship..." 

"It was dry docked by officials on Corruscant. I know." she paused "I have her back."

"That's a relief." Risha said, "Didn't fancy taking a shuttle across to wild space."

"I don't live on Zakuul you know." Zia said, "I never wanted to be an empress or anything, last few years, all I wanted was to run away, but wild space is accurate, you will see, they are working on repairs at the moment."

"Repairs?"

"You didn't hear?" Zia followed them into the apartment which was already packed of course - Risha had planned on leaving with Zia or leaving and not coming back.

"No. We ..." Risha sighed "I guess we were avoiding the news a little."

"Then..." Zia remembered Vette and sighed, her eyes glossing up a little as she fought back the tears. Risha knew Vette, had known Vette... she had spoken to Vette about Risha, they had shared memories of the woman and wondered together how she was. It had helped Zia a lot at the time.

"Then... what's wrong?" Risha spun around to look at her, she could see something was bothering Zia a lot.

"I fought Vaylin." Zia said, her eyes on her hands "but not before she killed someone from our Alliance someone you know Risha, or knew...."

"One of my friends?" Risha was confused. "One of MY friends was in your alliance?"

"Vette."

"Stars! Was Vette there? In the middle of all that... I... how ..." she gestured wildly.

"It's my fault I could only save one of them." Zia sighed.

"No... Zia..." Corso placed a hand on her shoulder, still too soon to know if he could just comfort her like old times.

"She talked about you though Risha, I was grateful for that, and she was a hero to the end." Ly'zia looked up "I had to choose between two friends that day, and I wanted to save them both but..."

"Sorry." Risha breathed "That kind of choice..." 

They stood silent a moment.

 

Zia's holo began to rumble.

"Captain? Torian here, need to get moving before people start asking for permits." 

"Oh, crap." Zia nodded to the man on the other end "Will be right there, bringing 2 more people."

"One of them your man?" He asked genuinely caring for Zia, from the sounds of it. 

"Corso, yeah." Zia grinned "Found him."

"Good. See you soon." 

"Who is that?"

"Torian Cadera, head of Clan Cadera, Mandalorian." Zia replied her voice tinged with pride "and a hell of a soldier, and a brother in arms."

"The Alliance is real then? You really have the Mandalorians at your back?" Risha had read some of the information on the holo-net but had not really believed it all.

"Yeah and we better get moving."

"You didn't get landing permits?" Corso asked shaking his head, that was Zia all over.

"Nope, was too interested in what you were up to; or hidin' if it turned out to be some distant cousin of Skarvek wanting revenge."

They made it to the ship before any official questions. Zia grinned as Corso followed her around, as though should he lose sight of her he would lose her.

 

"Welcome aboard." Torian was on deck supervising a Jawa named Blizz. Ly'zia nodded to them as they began launch sequence. She had come to rely on Torian and Blizz to help her with her ship - Blizz was a brilliant little Jawa, and Zia wondered how she had gotten her ship through without him.

"Guss is here, Bowdaar too, they wanted to come see what I was doing." she nodded to the eatery where they had all taken meals in the past. On entering, Bowdaar had drinks ready and Corso and Risha were welcomed like family returning home. Even the ones who were new to them treated them like family. In the end Torian, Blizz and Aric had come along to help with the ship and keep Zia safe.

 

Later, the others having found bunks and Corso finding himself in their old room sitting on a new bed was starting to feel a bit panicked. He had a thousand questions about things, and he couldn't articulate one.

"Corso?" Ly'zia said as she entered the room from the refresher. Their door was locked, and the added bathroom was a wondrous thing (added when a refit at the Alliance base was set up by Theron as a gift for her life day from the Alliance.) 

"Stars Zia, you look..." he  searched for the words and shook his head "you look like an angel."

"I do my best." she giggled, a sound that warmed his heart, she came closer to him and kissed him lowering her forehead to his. "I missed you." 

"I missed you too." he sighed

"Is something wrong?"

"Been a long time... " he pulled her close. 

"I ... did you move on.. did I..." she wanted to say did I ruin something by coming back? Not that she thought Corso and Risha were together, they wouldn't be compatible. Though it hurt her to think he might have, all of it was written in her eyes.

"No." he shook his head "There is no-one else for me."

"Im glad."

"What about you, now we are alone, did you.. was there..." he sighed; he didn't want to know really, but felt he should ask it.

"No. no-one."

"Really?" She had expected his surprise and now standing in front of him she needed to let him know exactly how it had been.

"I..." she angled her head "I know I was not... exactly loyal before, but..... five years in carbonite, a year being chased around, and I finally understood what it meant."

"In carbonite?" Corso's eyes grew large.

"You didn't know?"

"No, we .... everything went belly up, Risha's count was murdered... and I spent my time missing you and protecting her." 

"I ... I dreamed while in that carbonite...nightmare really.. "

"That's a long time to have a nightmare. " Corso pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her "I am sorry... I wish.."

"We can't change the past Corso, we can only forge  a future."

"Zia?" he seemed genuinely shocked.

"Sorry hard to not be the Commander even when im alone, so many people count on me..."

"Well, you can count on me. I am not going anywhere and..." he was silenced with a kiss as she stood in front of him, long loose pyjama pants swirling around her legs and feet, a short top sitting just above her mid. "Zia..." 

Zia pulled away to try and figure out what he was staring at on her. The scar.

"I..." she sighed, how do you explain this?

"Let me..." he ran a hand over her scar sighing as he did so. "I gather it was bad?"

Zia sat down on the bed abruptly, ending Corso's viewing of the wound caused by Arcann - it felt like a lifetime ago.

"Let's sit on the bed properly, and I can tell you what happened." She offered; turning to do just that, only to suddenly recall the matching scar on her back. It was really hidden by fur now and she had not thought of it in a long time. Hells even Arcann had changed since then.

"Right through?" his voice went up a few octaves of concern.

"Yeah. C'mon lets sit here..." as they sat on the bed she explained how things had started out bad and got worse. It took a few hours to get to the fight on Asylum, but she did and she told him all about Koth rescuing her and how they had gotten free.

"You got stabbed by a lightsabre..." Corso sounded as though he was a little ill.

"Yeah. And the 'former' Sith Emperor, or Vitiate or Valkorian as he was on Zakuul was sitting in my head, waiting for me to fail, and allow him to win - none of it happened, but he did keep me alive." 

"Only good thing he did," Corso replied unable to stop himself holding her again. 

"There is..." Zia shook her head "A thousand small things that I haven't told you - not because I don't want to but I don't remember half of it anymore."

"It's ok." he said, "There is nothing that can have happened that would make me leave you."

"Good." her words were punctuated by a kiss on his shoulder as she leaned against him. "I missed you more than I can possibly tell you. I think I threw a datapad at Theron... "

"You did what?" Corso laughed "Theron needs to duck, but you would never treat datapads so badly." 

That got a chuckle out of Zia. 

"Welcome to the Alliance Mr Riggs." she said then grinning up at him "and welcome home."

"Thank you, Mrs Riggs," Corso replied kissing his beloved Captain once more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
